


Under the Mask

by Onthecyberseas



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Femslash, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Not Season/Series 02 Compliant, Period-Typical Homophobia, Romance, Secret Identity, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 20:37:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 15,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18724543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onthecyberseas/pseuds/Onthecyberseas
Summary: Peggy has always been good at keeping her identity a secret, that is until she met Angie Martinelli.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Marvel TV Bang. Thanks to @ifall for her great art!

[](https://postimages.org/)

As Peggy stopped to catch her breath outside the familiar entrance to the Automat, she looked around at the surrounding street to ensure that nobody had been following her. Once she determined that she was in the clear, she opened the door to the Automat, smiling as a little bell rang above the door as it opened. Surveying the diner, she noticed it was practically empty despite a large, beefy man sitting at the counter and a couple of waitresses talking by the cash register. There was no sign of Jarvis yet, so Peggy sat down at her favorite booth and glanced at the menu that she knew by heart as she waited.

“Welcome to the Automat,” an attractive, but unfamiliar feminine voice said above her, grabbing her attention. Peggy looked upwards to find herself face to face with one of the waitresses. She was incredibly beautiful, with thick brown hair spilling out of her uniformed hat and sparkling eyes that Peggy could easily get lost in. Peggy had never seen her before, despite frequenting the Automat every week. “Can I get you anything?” The waitress asked, with a bright smile that made Peggy’s heart race.

Peggy shook out of her trance and cleared her throat. “I’ll have an Earl Grey, please.”

The waitress gave her a wink. “Coming right up, English.” Peggy couldn’t help but smile at the nickname, finding that she liked it quite a bit. As the waitress walked away, Peggy glanced towards the door. Still no sign of Jarvis, though she had no doubt he would be arriving at any moment. As she waited, she focused her attention on the waitress, who was currently in the process of preparing her tea. Peggy’s cheeks flushed as she accidentally made eye contact with her, but she found that she couldn’t look away, lost in the girl’s bright smile. 

As hard as it was, she forced herself to look away and studied texture of the table in front of her. As attractive as the possibility was, Peggy couldn’t fall for anyone, especially not in her line of work. She had learned that lesson the hard way early on. Her eyes nearly welled up as she thought about Colleen. Though she hadn’t been the one to put a bullet in her head, she might as well have. Though her line of work was difficult, Peggy loved what she did. She would never give it up, not even for the promise of a normal life. 

Peggy looked up as the waitress placed a tea cup in front of her. “Can I get you anything else, English?” She asked with a grin.

Peggy nodded and placed her order, handing her the menu in her hands. As the waitress walked away she saw the man sitting at the counter slap the waitress on the butt. Peggy’s eyes narrowed at the move and saw the waitress’ obvious discomfort by the gesture. As the waitress put her order in, Peggy walked over to the counter, grabbing a fork along the way from a nearby table.

As she reached the man, she dug the fork into his side, enjoying the resulting yelp of pain. “Apologize to her,” Peggy said, her voice low and dangerous. 

The man nodded quickly and called out to the waitress. “I’m sorry.” The waitress looked surprised but smiled over at Peggy.

Peggy smiled. “Good. Now leave a nice, big tip…And don’t ever come back here.” She removed the fork from his side, placed it on the counter next to him, and returned to her seat with a small smirk. Glancing back at the door, she still saw no sign of Jarvis. Presumably, he wouldn’t be joining her today after all.

“Thank you,” said the waitress above her.

Peggy looked up, trying to look directly into the woman’s blindingly bright smile. “It’s no problem. He was being a jerk.”

To her surprise, the waitress joined her at the booth. “I’m Angie, Angie Martinelli,” she said.

“Peggy Carter,” Peggy replied, relieved to finally know the girl’s name despite knowing she should keep her distance. “I haven’t seen you in here before.”

Angie nodded. “I’m new. Just moved to New York.” She took a breath before explaining. “My dream is to be on Broadway, but the only job available is waitress.” She laughed. “It’s cliché, I know.”

Peggy smiled. “I’m sure you’ll get your big break soon enough.” She paused before adding, “I wouldn’t be able to carry a tune.”

“Doesn’t matter with legs like yours,” Angie replied with a wink. Peggy flushed crimson at the obvious flirting attempt.

Against her better judgment, Peggy asked, “I could show you around the city sometime.”

Angie grinned. “I’d like that.” Peggy knew this was a bad idea, but she was too excited to rescind the offer.

The moment was interrupted by a series of screams outside. Peggy stood up quickly and said, “I’m sorry. I need to go.” She ran out of the automat before Angie could say another word.

Reaching a nearby alleyway, she checked to make sure the area was clear before pulling her clothes off. Underneath was a red and blue spandex uniform, a white silhouette of an eagle with outstretched wings emblazoned the chest of the suit. Peggy completed the transition by placing a blue mask over her face before flying out of the alleyway and into the sky.

A couple of people in the street pointed up at her as she flew towards the criminals causing all of the trouble in the street. She landed in front of them and disguised her accent while declaring, “Enough.”

The men shot at her with their guns, but the bullets deflected easily off the suit. Peggy thanked Howard for the innovation and waited until the men ran out of bullets. Once the guns were empty, Peggy sprang into action and fought the men off with her fists. Though they put up quite a fight, they were no match for Peggy’s super strength.

Peggy knocked out the last of them with a single punch and admired her handiwork. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Angie exit the automat and survey the scene. Angie locked eyes with her, and Peggy gave her a small salute before flying into the night sky. She debated returning to the Automat, but instead flew away from the scene and across the city.

Landing on the balcony of Howard’s mansion, Peggy walked inside and found Howard waiting for her. “Nice work,” he said.

Peggy pulled off her mask and said, “All in a day’s work.”

Jarvis entered the room and said, “I’m sorry for not coming. Howard and I have been working on something and I lost track of time.”

“I understand,” Peggy said, glancing between Howard and Jarvis’ panicked expressions. “Care to fill me in?”

She sat down and Howard explained, “We believe there’s an organization planning an attack in New York.”

Peggy’s eyes narrowed. “What kind of attack?”

Howard averted his eyes. “It appears they’ve stolen a couple of my inventions.” Peggy tried to listen intently as he described the missing inventions, but she found that her mind kept wandering over to Angie back at the Automat.

“Peggy,” Howard said, waving his hand over her face. Peggy snapped her attention back to him and she listened to his description of the missing inventions. She stood up when he was finished, and declared, “I will find out who stole them, and I will stop them.”

Howard and Jarvis smiled at her. “I know you will, Peggy,” Howard said. “Now get some rest, you look like you need it.”

Peggy said good night to the two of them and placed the mask back on her face before flying back to the Automat. After determining that the coast was clear, she took off the mask and put her street clothes back over her costume.

She debated listening to Howard and going home, but she found that she wasn’t ready yet. Peggy turned the corner and walked back into the automat, fixing her hair as she sat back in her booth. Angie was surprised to see her but walked quickly over to her. “You’re back.”

Peggy nodded and explained, “I had something I needed to take care of.”

Angie looked curious but didn’t ask any questions about her work. Instead, she asked, “Do you want your food still? It’s a little cold, but I can warm it up.”

“I’d like that,” Peggy said. She watched as Angie went back to the kitchen, returning a couple minutes later with her order. “Thank you,” Peggy said as her stomach growled at the smell. Angie went to deal with another customer as Peggy ate her dinner. When she finished she plopped down enough to pay for everything as well as a generous tip.

Angie smiled brightly upon seeing the tip and said, “Thank you for dining with us. We hope you return.”

Peggy grinned at Angie’s enthusiasm. Before she could stop herself, she asked, “When are you free? My offer still stands.”

“Friday night?” Angie asked. “I get off at five.”

Nodding, Peggy said, “I’ll pick you up at seven?”

“Sounds like a plan, English.” Angie gave her an address to pick her up and Peggy said goodbye before exiting the Automat. She knew she should go back and cancel, but she found that she couldn’t. She knew that personal attachments were dangerous as a superhero, but her desire to spend more time with Angie impeded her judgment. She instead walked home and found herself eager for Friday to arrive.


	2. Chapter 2

Peggy was filled with both anticipation and dread throughout the rest of the week. Anticipation because she liked Angie and wanted to spend more time with her, but dread that spending more time with Angie would put her in harm’s way. She had made the choice to become The Eagle, and she had always known it was the right decision. However, she couldn’t live with herself if anything happened to Angie.

She attempted to distract herself from her dilemma by throwing herself into the investigation into Howard’s missing inventions. Though she had found a potential suspect, a shady organization known as Leviathan, her search of their known facilities turned up empty. Unfortunately, a group known as the Strategic Scientific Reserve had publicly accused Howard of being the one to sell those weapons to potential terrorists. Howard may be ambitious and a womanizer, but he wasn’t evil. She had kept up her investigation, as she knew she had to find answers and clear Howard’s name before it was too late.

Her upcoming date with Angie still took up most of the real estate of her mind. Apparently, so much so that Howard and Jarvis seemed to notice. “What’s eating you?” Howard asked one night as they pored over the evidence in Howard’s mansion.

Peggy bristled at the question. “Nothing.”

However, Howard wasn’t willing to drop it. “Is it a guy? A girl?” Peggy averted her eyes at the mention of a girl, and Howard smiled. “Who is she? Do I know her?”

“I hope not,” Peggy scoffed, rolling her eyes. She knew that there was no point in hiding her dilemma anymore and she told him and Jarvis about Angie and her upcoming date.

Howard smiled and clapped Peggy on the back. “Congratulations Peg. It’s about time you put yourself out there.”

Peggy shook her head. “I need to cancel. You know what happened to Colleen.”

“You can’t let that stop you from living your life,” Jarvis interjected. “Even the Eagle deserves happiness.” Though Peggy was touched by the sentiment, she couldn’t let her defenses down.

Howard seemed to notice her struggle. “I can make sure that this Angie girl is protected when you’re not with her. Jarvis is right, you need to get laid.”

Peggy blushed at Howard’s bluntness. “Thank you, I guess,” she said, touched by their concern for her, despite their way of showing it. “I guess one date couldn’t hurt.” She already felt some of her worry evaporate, as her excitement for seeing Angie again built up.

“It’s not a problem,” Howard said with a devious smirk. “Enjoy your evening.”

Friday finally came and Peggy spent about an hour picking an outfit. She tucked a paper with the address scribbled on it into her purse and applied a fresh coat of lipstick as she admired her reflection in the mirror.

Once she was satisfied with her look, she made her way to the address and found a building labelled the Griffith Hotel. She entered the lobby and asked a woman approached her. “Can I help you?”

“Yes,” Peggy said, fighting her nerves. “I’m looking for Angie Martinelli.”

Before the woman could respond, she heard a familiar voice behind her. “Good evening, English!”

Peggy turned around and saw that Angie looked stunning in her outfit, quite a change from her automat uniform. “Hello,” Peggy said as butterflies filled her stomach. “You look…”

“Thanks,” Angie replied with her beaming smile. “You look quite gorgeous yourself.” Angie waved to a couple of girls talking across the lobby. “Are you ready to go?”

Peggy nodded and they exited the hotel, making their way towards the Italian restaurant where Peggy had made a reservation for them. Angie thanked her as she opened the door for her, and the host took them to their table not long after.

As they sat down, Angie smiled at Peggy and asked, “So, what do you do for a living?”

Peggy paused, trying to figure out how to answer. She couldn’t tell Angie the truth about her work, but she knew Angie’s suspicions would be raised if she didn’t tell her something. She said the first thing that came to mind. “I-uh work for the phone company down the street.”

Angie gave her a questioning look as though she didn’t believe her but nodded anyway. “Do you like working there?”

Becoming more confident in her answer, Peggy shrugged and lied, “It pays the bills.” She quickly changed the subject and asked, “Do you like working at the Automat?”

Laughing, Angie answered, “Of course not. But like you said, it pays the bills.”

The waiter came over to take their order and Peggy and Angie talked about their lives after he left. Angie talked about her large family and her Broadway aspirations while Peggy talked about her own family while trying to avoid any discussion of her true profession. Peggy was surprised how comfortable she felt talking to Angie and thoroughly enjoyed her company.

Their meal arrived not long after and Peggy told Angie about her favorite places to visit in New York while they ate. After Peggy paid for both of their dinners, she took Angie for a walk in Central Park. 

Unfortunately, the peaceful evening didn’t last forever. Their conversation was interrupted by the sights and sounds of people running and screaming running away from the park. “What’s going on?” Angie asked, bewildered at the chaos around her.

Peggy surveyed the area and saw a nearby building that was slightly secluded. “It must not be anything good,” Peggy said, turning to her. “You should go with the others. I’ll catch up to you in a couple of moments.”

Angie looked at her suspiciously. “Why should I leave you behind?”

She fished for a satisfactory explanation and found one as she saw a woman who had tripped as she had run away. “I want to make sure everyone gets out.”

Though Angie still didn’t look convinced, she nodded. “Good luck, English.” She followed the screaming parkgoers and Peggy helped the woman up. The woman thanked her and hobbled away with the rest of the crowd. 

Once the coast was clear, Peggy ducked behind the building and changed into her Eagle suit before putting the mask over her head. She flew into the sky and deep into the park to discover the source of the unrest. As she saw a group of people release a bioweapon into the park, she came to one conclusion: these were Howard’s stolen weapons.

Peggy leapt into action and landed in front of the presumably Leviathan agents. A woman, presumably their leader stepped forward and smirked. “Good evening, Eagle. We’ve been expecting you.” Before Peggy could react, the woman sprayed her with the bioweapon. Peggy felt the effects immediately as she felt herself growing weaker. 

The agents surrounding the woman approached and reached out to grab her, but Peggy used her remaining strength to fight them off. She managed to evade their grasp and fly away. However, she landed with a thud back where she had been with Angie minutes earlier. The park was now deserted, and Peggy took off her mask as her vision went in and out of focus.

She heard a gasp above her, and she looked up to see Angie looking down at her in shock. Though she knew she would have to address the fact that her identity was now exposed, she managed to give Angie Howard’s phone number before everything went dark.


	3. Chapter 3

Peggy found herself lying in a bed when she woke up. As she took in her surroundings, she recognized the room as being one of Howard’s guest bedrooms and wondered how she had gotten there. She then started to remember everything in flashes: the chaos in the park, the woman, the mysterious chemical that had knocked her out, how she had been able to escape Leviathan before they could do more harm to her. 

After assessing how she was feeling, Peggy breathed a sigh of relief that she didn’t seem to have any lasting effects of whatever that woman had sprayed on her. As she surveyed the room, she nearly jumped as she saw Angie standing over her with a concerned look.

“You’re awake,” Angie said, her signature smile returning to her face. Peggy couldn’t help but smile back, but a sense of dread filled her as she remembered that she had inadvertently exposed her identity, as Angie had seen her without the mask. Before Peggy could say anything, Angie had rushed out of the room, returning with Howard and Jarvis in tow.

Howard sat down on the chair next to the bed, and Peggy saw Angie slip out of the room to give them their privacy. “How are you feeling, Peg?” Howard asked, concern outlining his features.

Peggy shrugged and replied, “I’m alright, I guess.” She forced herself to sit up and asked, “How long was I out for?”

“A day and a half,” Jarvis answered as he stood next to Howard’s chair. “Ms. Martinelli called us as soon as you lost consciousness.” Peggy nodded, still trying to process that Angie now knew her true identity.

“She’s a keeper,” Howard declared with a small smile. “She’s been coming back here between her shifts at the Automat.” Peggy couldn’t help but smile, even though her head was still spinning. “What happened out there?” Howard asked, his expression turning serious.

As her memories became clearer, Peggy recounted what had happened in the park. Howard and Jarvis listened intently, glancing at each other during her story. Once Peggy finished, Howard declared, “The first thing we need to do once you’re better is to find this woman.”

Peggy nodded in agreement, her determination fueling her anger at Leviathan and their mysterious leader. She attempted to get out of bed, but Jarvis pushed her back down. “Not yet, Ms. Carter,” he said. “You need more rest.” Howard nodded in agreement, and Peggy sighed in resignation. There was no winning this argument, especially in her current state.

“Fine,” Peggy said. “Can you at least send Angie in?” She rolled her eyes at Howard’s inappropriate smirk but was glad that they both left the room.

Angie returned to the room, and Peggy took in the mixture of concern and awe written on her face. “How are you feeling?” Angie asked, taking the seat Howard had just occupied.

“Like I’ve been knocked out for a day and a half,” Peggy quipped. She cleared her throat and said, “Look, Angie...”

Seeming to know what Peggy was about to say, Angie shushed her and said, “Don’t worry, Peggy, your secret’s safe with me. Though I have to say, I find it kind of sexy.” 

Peggy blushed as the admission and stuttered, “Thank you.”

Angie added, “Besides, I knew you didn’t actually work for the phone company.” She quickly explained, “Just a hunch.”

“I’m sorry for ruining the rest of the evening,” Peggy said. 

Angie shook her head and quickly assured her. “You didn’t ruin anything, English. It was quite exciting, actually.”

Peggy stared for a couple of moments before asking, “You’re not scared by all of this?” 

“Of course not,” Angie assured her, shaking her head. “So, what’s your story?” Peggy gave her a confused look and Angie asked, “How did you become the Eagle?”

Taking a deep breath, Peggy told Angie the story. “After we lost Captain America,” Peggy began. She paused briefly as she thought of Steve, still missing him terribly. “They asked me to undergo an experimental procedure quite different to the super-soldier program. I wanted his legacy to live on, so I agreed without hesitation.”

Glancing over at Angie, she saw that the other girl was listening with rapt attention. “It was a painful process, but well worth it. Once the war was over, I knew I wanted to continue my work as the Eagle.”

“Why did you go with the Eagle?” Angie asked curiously. “Aren’t you English?”

Peggy laughed. “Ironic, isn’t it?” I decided to keep the moniker after deciding to move to New York, though learning to speak with an American accent under the mask was difficult.” She finished her story, “And I’ve been doing it ever since.”

She blushed as she saw that Angie was looking at her with a sense of awe. “If I only had that same drive to help people, but I barely have the energy to serve fat-head customers at the Automat with a fake smile.”

“It’s not a life for everyone,” Peggy admitted.

To her surprise, Angie grabbed her hand and asked, “So when are we finishing our evening, English?”

Peggy tensed and Angie quickly asked, “I’m sorry, I thought…”

“Are you sure you still want to continue this?” Peggy asked. “I chose this life, not you.” She took a deep breath and added, “If anything happened to you…”

“Don’t worry about me,” Angie assured her with a smile. “All I know, is that it’s been a while since I’ve felt like this about anyone,” she confessed, and Peggy’s heart melted despite herself. “I know the risks, but I’m in if you’re in.”

Though Peggy was still worried, she knew Angie was right. She hadn’t felt this way about anyone since Colleen, or Steve before her. She wanted to give whatever this was with Angie a shot. Besides, there was no way she could walk away after Angie had found out the truth and saved her life. “We have to be careful,” Peggy insisted. Angie grinned at her, and Peggy assured her, “As soon as Howard lets me get out of this bed.”

Leaning forward, Angie kissed her forehead. “Feel better, English.” After she left the room, Peggy blushed as she replayed the moment in her head. She was more motivated than ever to make a speedy recovery.

Thankfully, Peggy only needed another day before Howard allowed her to leave his mansion. As soon as she was free, Peggy made her way to the Automat. She went directly to the counter, where Angie was frowning about another unruly customer. Angie turned around and her grin picked up instantly upon seeing her. “English! How are you feeling?”

“Better,” Peggy said, as she grinned back. “I believe I owe you a walk in Central Park.”

Angie nodded in agreement, “You do.” Peggy put in her order, a much-needed hearty breakfast and cup of tea. As Angie put her order in, she spotted a man nearby reading the newspaper and asked to borrow it. Flipping through, she found no mention of the Central Park incident or Leviathan.

“It’s not in there,” Angie told her, returning with her order. “They said it was a science experiment gone wrong. No mention of the Eagle.” Peggy nodded and began digging into her breakfast. Angie came over between waiting on other customers and they agreed on a time and date to finish their date. Peggy left a generous tip before she left the automat, counting down the days until she would get to see Angie again.


	4. Chapter 4

Peggy applied a fresh coat of lipstick, as she eagerly anticipated her second chance at her first date with Angie. Once she was satisfied with how she looked, she went back to the hotel where Angie was already waiting for her outside, smiling brightly.

“Hello,” Peggy said, involuntarily licking her lips as she took in Angie’s appearance. Angie smirked, seeming to know the effect she had on her. They had a quick dinner at a restaurant near the hotel before they returned to the park.

Angie glanced around and teased discreetly, “Any sign of trouble, English?”

Peggy laughed as she did a quick survey of the area. She replied, “Negative,” as she slipped her arms in Angie’s.

They continued their walk through the park. Nobody seemed to pay any attention to them, as they were wrapped up in their own evenings. Peggy and Angie spent their walk talking about themselves. They kept discussion of the Eagle out of their conversation, as Peggy was worried about anyone overhearing.

For the first time in a long time, Peggy felt at ease as she walked by Angie’s side. It was surprising, but it was actually kind of a relief to have someone else know about her secret identity. Other than Howard and Jarvis of course.

After some time, they decided to turn around and walk back to the park entrance that they came in. “I had a fun time,” Angie said, as she reached down to hold Peggy’s hand.

“Me too,” Peggy admitted. She looked over at Angie, finding that she didn’t want the evening to end. “Do you want to go back to my place?” Peggy asked, letting the suggestion hang in the air.

Angie smirked, and Peggy was glad to see that they were both on the same page. “Definitely.”

They walked back to Peggy’s apartment, and she locked the door as soon as they entered. Angie pounced on her, and Peggy eagerly returned the kiss as she let her hands roam Angie’s body. Angie helped her unzip her dress and Peggy threw it haphazardly across the room. 

Angie made quick work of her own dress and looked hungrily at the Eagle costume underneath. Angie reached for the zipper behind the costume and said, “It’s sexier than I expected.” 

Peggy felt her body react to Angie’s words, and she became determined to speed this up. She helped her unzip the costume, and carefully pulled off the full-body spandex. She carefully placed it on the nearby sofa before pressing Angie against the door. Angie eagerly wrapped her legs around Peggy’s waist as she allowed Peggy to carry her to the bedroom.

Once they were inside, Peggy kicked the door closed before depositing Angie on the bed. After they make quick work of their remaining undergarments, Peggy rejoined their lips in a heated kiss as she slipped her hand between her thighs. She quickly slid two fingers inside Angie and her hips bucked as she moaned loudly. Peggy enjoyed the feel of her fingers inside Angie and the effect it had on her. She sped up her movements, and Angie dug her nails into her back as she continued to moan louder.

After a couple of more thrusts, Angie was coming undone beneath her and Peggy continued her movements until Angie looked up at her with a satisfied smile etching her face. Before Peggy could say anything, Angie flipped their positions and played with Peggy’s clit with her fingers. Peggy cried out at the sensation as Angie continued her ministrations. It didn’t take long for her to come undone as well, and Angie crashed their lips together as she moaned out Angie’s name.

Angie removed her fingers not long after and laid her head on Peggy’s chest. “That was…” Peggy began, struggling to catch her breath.

“Yeah,” Angie said as she played with Peggy’s hair. “I’m really glad we decided to do this.”

Peggy nodded in agreement. “Me too.” Kissing Angie’s lips one more time, she said good night and fell asleep comfortably in Angie’s arms.

She woke up the next morning, to find herself alone in the bed. Peggy smiled as she replayed her and Angie’s activities last night. She was definitely eager for a repeat performance. Carefully, she crawled out and found a bathrobe hanging in the bathroom that she covered herself with.

“Morning,” Angie said as she walked into the kitchen.

Peggy smiled as she watched Angie busy herself with breakfast. “You didn’t have to make breakfast,” she said quickly.

Angie shook her head. “I wanted to.” She took a deep breath and said, “Last night was…”

“I know,” Peggy nodded in agreement. She sat down at the table to eat the breakfast in front of her. It was far better than the Automat food. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Angie replied. She looked hesitant for a moment before asking, “Got any plans today? There’s some people I want you to meet.” Peggy looked hesitant and Angie quickly added, “Relax English, I just want to introduce you to some friends at the hotel. We don’t even have to tell them we’re together together.”

Peggy nodded. “I’d like that.” They finished their breakfast and shared a few more kisses before getting dressed. 

They walked back to the hotel, and Angie took her hand and brought her over to a group of women hanging out in the lobby. They smiled upon seeing Angie, and Angie said, “Ladies, this is my friend Peggy Carter. She comes to the Automat a lot.”

Angie’s friends smiled and welcomed her to the group. As they were talking, a woman’s throat cleared behind them. They turned around and Peggy saw an uptight-looking woman standing behind them with another young woman. Peggy gasped upon seeing the woman, recognizing her immediately. Her mind flashed back to the incident at the park where the woman, the leader of Leviathan, had sprayed the Eagle with the chemical weapon. The woman didn’t react upon seeing her, as she would have no idea who was under the mask.

“Ladies, this is Dorothy Underwood,” the older woman told them. “She’ll be moving in with us.” Angie’s friends rushed to greet the woman, but Angie could sense Peggy’s hesitation. 

After they politely greeted the woman, who asked to go by Dottie, Angie pulled Peggy aside. “What is it, English?” Peggy told her in a hushed whisper about how she recognized Dottie, and Angie gasped. A few moments later, she smiled as an idea came to her. “Come over after I get off my shift tomorrow,” Angie said. “We can have some schnapps and rhubarb pie and keep an eye on her.”

“You’re alright with that?” Peggy asked.

Angie nodded. “It’s kind of exciting, getting to help you with that stuff.” Her voice lowered and she added, “I wouldn’t advise continuing last night here though. Miss Fry is very strict, I highly doubt she’d be okay with us as anything other than platonic friends.”

Peggy nodded in understanding. “Very well. See you tomorrow, Angie.”

“See you,” Angie smiled back. Peggy was tempted to kiss her, but she knew that she couldn’t do it in front of Angie’s friends, Miss Fry, and Dottie. She gently squeezed Angie’s hand and said goodbye to everyone as she headed out of the hotel.

Making her way over to Howard’s, Peggy wanted to report her findings to him and Jarvis However, Howard smirked at her as though he knew what had transpired the previous evening and asked, “Did you have a good evening with Angie?”

Peggy sputtered, wondering how he could possibly know that. He explained, “You’re glowing.”

Blushing, Peggy quickly changed the subject. She told him about seeing Dottie, as well as her and Angie’s plans to keep an eye on her. “We’ll solve this and clear your name,” Peggy assured him.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Howard admitted. After a brief pause, he said, “I’m happy for you.”

Peggy knew he was talking about Angie and smiled as she thought about her. “Thank you,” she said.


	5. Chapter 5

Though Peggy enjoyed spending time with Angie, their investigation of Dottie, as they soon figured out was her nickname, yielded no results. Dottie was good at appearing innocent to the outside world. Peggy couldn’t stick around the hotel when Angie left for her shifts at the automat, knowing that it would raise Dottie’s suspicions. She sometimes tried to follow Dottie when she left the hotel, but nothing led her to Leviathan or Howard’s stolen weapons. The rest of her time was split between stopping various crimes she came across as The Eagle and meetings with Howard and Jarvis. Peggy was starting to get frustrated, she knew that she would have to get some results soon, the fate of Howard and the rest of the world depended on it.

Despite her initial hesitations, Peggy was glad that she chose to pursue things with Angie. Though they hadn’t had a lot of alone time recently, she treasured every moment she spent with her. Angie made her feel happier than she had in a long time, and she knew without a doubt that she was starting to fall in love with her.

One week into their investigation, Angie asked if they could go to her apartment for the evening. Peggy eagerly obliged, replaying the memories of their first night together on a loop. She decided to cook dinner for the occasion, even though her cooking skills weren’t the best. After settling on a simple chicken dish, she worked hard to make it as perfect as she could.

Peggy grinned at the knock on her door and opened it to find Angie beaming on the other side. After letting Angie in, Peggy closed the door and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. “Evening, English,” Angie greeted as they pulled apart. “How was your day?”

“A lot better now that you’re here. Yours?”

Angie’s face lit up like she had good news. “I have an audition!” Her excitement radiated the room and Peggy grinned.

“Congratulations!” Peggy kissed Angie again. “This calls for a celebration.”

Angie nodded in agreement. “Indeed.” Peggy led her to the dining room where she had laid out the results of her cooking. “All of this for me?” Angie asked.

Nodding, Peggy replied, “You were right about us not spending any alone time together recently.”

“It looks amazing,” Angie said. “I didn’t know you could cook.”

Peggy shrugged. “Not really.” She pulled Angie’s chair out for her and took her own seat across the table.

A couple of moments passed as the two ate in silence. Angie was the one to break it. “This is delicious.”

“Thank you,” Peggy replied. Angie filled her in on the rest of her day, and Peggy told her about her lack of leads in the Dottie investigation. Once they were finished, Peggy cleaned up the dishes and Angie walked into her bedroom with a sly smile on her face.

Peggy entered her bedroom and gasped as she saw that Angie was naked on her bed. Her body throbbed with need as she took her in. Angie smiled innocently at her, seemingly trying to hide that she knew the affect she was having on Peggy. “Care to join me?” Angie asked, patting the space on the bed beside her and Peggy involuntarily licked her lips.

Climbing on the bed, Peggy captured Angie’s lips in a searing kiss. “Absolutely,” Peggy said as she kissed her way down Angie’s body. Her movements were stalled by the sound of gunshots outside the apartment.

Peggy looked between the window and Angie. She knew it was her duty as the Eagle to investigate and protect the people from whatever danger was outside, yet she didn’t want to leave Angie and their current activities.

Angie noticed her struggles and said, “Go.” Peggy turned to look at her. “I promise I’ll be here when you get back. I won’t move an inch.”

Peggy nodded and gave Angie a peck on the lips as she climbed back out of bed. Angie looked at her hungrily as she pulled off her clothes to reveal the suit underneath. Peggy placed the mask over her face and went out to the balcony. After determining that nobody was watching, the Eagle took off and flew towards the sound of the ensuing screams.

To Peggy’s relief, the source of the distress was a simple mundane shooter gone loose in the street. She apprehended him easily and flew him right to the police station before flying the two victims to the hospital. The scene around the incident returned to normal and she flew back to her balcony.

Locking the door behind her, she pulled off her mask and returned to her bedroom where she found Angie still naked on her bed and reading one of the books from her bedside table. Angie snapped her attention to her and smiled as she put the book down. “Everything okay out there?”

Peggy nodded, pulling off her spandex and returning to bed with Angie. “Now, where were we?” Angie grinned and Peggy kissed her again before resuming the rest of their evening.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------

“Are you nervous?” Peggy asked, as she and Angie walked to the theater where the audition was being held.

Angie nodded. “Yes.” A panicked expression suddenly appeared on her face. “What if I blow it? I can’t be a waitress for the rest of my life.”

Peggy squeezed her hand and Angie took a deep breath as she looked at her. “You’re going to be great, Angie. Just imagine that it’s you and me running lines again. You belong on the stage and you’ll get there one way or another.” 

Angie smiled back at her. “Thank you, English. And thank you for coming with me.”

“There’s no place I’d rather be,” Peggy replied. She was tempted to kiss Angie, but they had agreed to be discreet in public. To the outside world, they had to be nothing more that affectionate close friends, as the overwhelming majority wouldn’t approve of their relationship. Though Peggy didn’t care too much, she didn’t want to jeopardize things for Angie.

They arrived at the theater and stepped inside. Angie gave her name to the front desk and they were ushered into a backstage room. After minutes of waiting that felt like forever, Angie was called into the theater. The stagehand refused to let Peggy into the theater to watch, and she waited in the room with the other hopefuls waiting to be called for their opportunity.

Angie returned later with a relieved expression. “How did it go?” Peggy asked as she stood up to greet her.

“I hope it went well,” Angie replied, still clearly nervous. Peggy took her hand as they walked out of the theater and towards the hotel. 

At the front door, they bumped into Dottie, who smiled at them in a way that seemed normal to the average person but that made the hairs on the back of Peggy’s neck rise. “I’m so sorry,” Dottie said, looking between the two of them. “How was your audition, Angie?”

Angie hesitated before replying, “It went fine…At least I hope it did.”

Seeing an opportunity, Peggy asked, “We were about to open some schnapps to celebrate. Care to join us?”

Dottie shook her head. “Perhaps some other time. Enjoy yourselves.” She walked away, and Peggy was tempted to follow her, hoping that this time would help uncover the secret base of Leviathan.

“Let’s go,” Angie said beside her and Peggy turned to look at her in surprise. “I want to know where she’s going too.”

They discretely followed Dottie through the city, making sure they couldn’t be seen. After several twists and turns, Dottie finally stopped in front of a simple looking ballet studio. However, her knock on the door seemed to follow a secret code. A man opened the door and Dottie followed stepped inside the studio. Peggy and Angie discreetly hid behind a mailbox as they looked inside the window and saw Dottie and the man open a secret entrance behind a bookshelf. 

Though Peggy knew that she needed to investigate to prove it, her suspicions seemed to be accurate that she had finally found the secret base of Leviathan. Angie seemed to have come to the same conclusion, and they grinned at each other as they walked away hand in hand.

“Your place or mine?” Peggy asked.

Angie looked lustfully at her, and Peggy’s body shivered in reaction. “Your place,” Angie said, “Definitely your place.” Peggy grinned and they headed to her apartment to celebrate the victories of the day.


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning, Peggy kissed Angie goodbye as they went their separate ways and returned to the ballet studio. She scoped the surrounding building and alleyway. To the normal eye, there was nothing out of the ordinary about the building or the nearby alleyway. She found a back door in the alleyway, presumably another entrance into the base. Though the Eagle’s entrance was usually anything but subtle, Peggy knew that it would be best to approach this mission with stealth.

A man walked past the alleyway and Peggy pulled out a compact mirror, examining her lipstick and trying to act nonchalant as she eyed him out of the corner of her eye. He looked curiously at her, but nothing else about him appeared to be threatening. Once the man was gone, Peggy left the alleyway and returned home. Angie had already left for her shift at the Automat and Peggy took off her street clothes to reveal the costume underneath.

Once she put on her mask, she made her way out to the balcony. After determining that the coast was clear, the Eagle flew off the balcony and into the sky. She flew over the Automat on her way to the base and glanced inside the window, unable to contain her smile at the thought of Angie in her uniform, dreaming about her inevitable brighter future on Broadway.

The Eagle landed in the empty alleyway and made her way to the back door. Using her enhanced strength, she pulled the door off and threw it at the Leviathan agent pointing his gun at her. He fell to the ground with a thud and the Eagle continued her trek into the facility. So much for her plan to approach the base with stealth. Thankfully, nobody seemed to have noticed her presence yet.

She flew up to the rafter and observed a lab filled with Howard’s stolen weapons. Several agents were conducting experiments and Dottie oversaw their work. The Eagle flew down in front of them, making her grand entrance.

Dottie grinned at her, as though expecting her. “Have you come to challenge me again, Eagle?” Dottie asked. “That worked so well for you last time.”

“I won’t let you continue your reign of terror any longer,” the Eagle declared, balling her hands into fists. She recognized the scent of the bioweapon that had been sprayed on her on the park. Thankfully, Howard’s recent innovations to her suit counteracted the chemical’s effects easily. “It’s going to take more than some chemicals to bring me down, Dottie.”

Dottie looked surprised to see that the Eagle knew her name, but her expression turned to one of rage as she leapt forward. The Eagle dodged her blow and struck back with determination. The other Leviathan agents joined the fight, but they were no match for the Eagle. She fought them off easily, grabbing objects from around the room to assist her.

Soon it was just her and Dottie left, facing each other. They punched each other in the center of the lab, matching each other blow for blow. Though Dottie was tough, the Eagle was tougher. As Dottie started to slow down, a strong, well-placed punch knocked her to the ground and caused her to lose consciousness.

The Eagle stood over her in triumph. Carefully, she picked Dottie up and flew her to the office of the SSR. The men stared at her dumbfounded as she deposited Dottie’s body in front of them. “Howard Stark is innocent,” she told the male agents. “This woman and Leviathan are the real culprit.” She flew out without another word and returned to the Leviathan base. After picking up Howard’s stolen weapons, she flew them back to Howard’s mansion.

Howard greeted her with a smile upon seeing his weapons in her arms. “Is this everything?” Peggy asked as she laid the items on the table and pulled off her mask. Howard nodded as he checked the condition of the various items.

“Thank you,” Howard said, his smile growing even wider. “I owe a great debt to you, Peggy.”

Peggy nodded and said, “Anything for a friend.” Her stomach rumbled and she remembered that she had skipped breakfast that morning in her eagerness to deal with the Leviathan problem. “I’m going to the Automat,” she informed Howard. “Care to join me?”

He shook his head as he gave her a knowing look. “Say hello to Angie for me.”

She nodded back. “Will do.” Putting her mask back on, she flew from Howard’s mansion to the alleyway next to the Automat. 

To her surprise, Angie was already out there, leaning against the brick wall. Angie grinned at her as Peggy landed next to her. “How was the mission?”

“Completed,” Peggy replied. She saw a couple of people walk by and didn’t dare to take off her mask.

Before Peggy could ask how her morning went, Angie blurted out, “I got the part!”

Peggy grinned despite knowing Angie couldn’t see her facial expression behind the mask. “That’s great, Angie. There was never any doubt in my mind.”

Angie grinned at her and pulled her into a hug. Peggy noticed a couple of people still watching them, but she was enjoying the hug too much to pull away. To her surprise, Angie lifted the bottom half of her mask, exposing Peggy’s lips. She pulled Peggy into a searing kiss, and Peggy couldn’t bring herself to stop it as she kissed her back.

A bright camera flash interrupted their kiss and they both jumped backward. Peggy panicked, cursing at herself for being too careless in the aftermath of her victory. Thankfully, her mask had still covered most of her face, but Angie’s face and their relationship were now exposed, most likely to the world.

Peggy’s anxiety started to overpower her senses and Angie put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay,” Angie assured her as she held her during her anxiety attack. “It’s going to be okay.”

Once Peggy had calmed down, she pulled her mask back down. A crowd had gathered around them and Angie whispered, “Let’s get out of here.” She wrapped her arms around Peggy, and she flew them out of the alleyway and to her apartment.

After landing on the balcony, they went inside the apartment and locked the door. Peggy pulled off her mask. “I’m so, so sorry, Angie.”

“Don’t be,” Angie replied. “I always knew this was the possibility of being in love with a superhero.”

Peggy gasped at Angie’s use of the word love. Angie frowned and said, “It’s fine if you don’t feel the same way, but I mean it. I love you, Peggy Carter.”

She processed the words, feeling elated at the confession. “I love you, too,” Peggy admitted, becoming surer of her feelings as she admitted them out loud. It felt good to finally say it, so good that it almost made her forget the situation at hand.

Angie pulled her into a kiss and Peggy eagerly returned it. Clothes were shed as Peggy took Angie to her room. Peggy and Angie kissed fervently as they fell onto the bed. She quickly moved down to where Angie was wet and waiting for her. She slowly licked Angie’s engorged clit as she moaned above her. Angie threated her fingers through her hair and gripped the back of her head to hold her in place as Peggy sped up the movement of her tongue and gripped Angie’s hips in her hands.

Peggy continued her ministrations and Angie came soon after. She eagerly lapped up the ensuing wetness as she enjoyed the sound of Angie’s screams. Peggy climbed up Angie’s body and kissed her as she came down from her orgasm.

“My turn,” Angie said, as she flipped their positions. Peggy grinned at the move and moaned loudly as Angie played with her throbbing clit with her fingers. Angie quickly switched her fingers with her tongue and Peggy moaned louder as she thrust her fingers inside her without warning. Angie thrust her fingers in and out as her tongue continued its ministrations. Peggy gripped the sheets with her hands as she moaned out Angie’s name.

After Peggy rode out her orgasm, Angie laid down next to her. “I love you,” Peggy assured her as they kissed, enjoying the taste of herself on Angie’s lips. She smiled at being able to say the words out loud.

Angie smiled as she ran her fingers through Peggy’s hair and Peggy felt content at the sensation. “I love you, too.” Peggy tensed as she remembered the day’s events, worried about what would happen next. Angie pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and assured. “It’s going to be fine, English. Whatever happens, we’ll handle it together.”

Peggy nodded and snuggled closer to Angie. Though she was still anxious about the whole situation, she just wanted to enjoy the feeling of Angie in her arms. Angie was right, they would face whatever happened tomorrow by each other’s side.


	7. Chapter 7

The photo of their kiss had made the front page. Peggy scowled at the picture as she retrieved the day’s newspaper, complete with the headline: The Eagle’s Mystery Woman Revealed. She read the article, her stomach turning as Angie was identified by name. The reporter had clearly done their homework, though Peggy didn’t know how they were able to get so much information on her in such a short span of time.

Peggy showed Angie the picture when she came into the room, and Angie eagerly grabbed the paper to read the article. Once she finished the article, Angie smiled. “You’re not upset?” Peggy asked, bewildered.

“I’m not,” Angie admitted. “When I chose to pursue acting, I knew that I would eventually have people taking pictures of me in public. I never thought I’d make the paper for this, but I knew it would come with the prospect of fame.”

Peggy nodded in understanding, even though she was still tense. Angie leaned down and kissed her cheek, causing her to smile. “I meant what I said yesterday, English. We’re going to be fine.”

Despite Angie’s assurances, Peggy still insisted on escorting Angie to her first rehearsal. When they arrived at the theater, they found a crowd of reporters waiting for her. Peggy’s eyes struggled with the camera flashes and bombardment of questions the reporters to Angie about her relationship with the Eagle.

“Who is the Eagle?” A brave reporter asked, raising his voice over the crowd. Peggy tensed but Angie squeezed her hand to calm her down.

Angie plastered on a smile and said coyly, “If I told you, that would defeat the purpose of a secret identity. Wouldn’t it?”

The reporters continued to ask questions as Peggy pushed through them and managed to get Angie inside. They were met by the play’s director, who tersely told Angie they needed to talk. Angie looked a little rattled for the first time that day and followed him inside.

Peggy waited outside, her mind racing as she wondered what was going on inside the director’s office. She saw a man enter the theater out of the corner of her eye and leapt into action as the man pulled out a gun. Peggy easily subdued the man, trying her best to not use her powers out of the suit.

Angie and the director came out to check out the commotion, and Peggy explained the situation to them. Angie beamed with pride while the director promised they would get a security guard for the theater. As soon as the director walked away, Angie explained, “He’s not happy that I’m dating a woman, but he likes the publicity it brings to the show.”

Peggy breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s great, Angie.” She gestured to the unconscious gunman in the hallway. “Do you want me to stay?”

“I’ll be fine,” Angie assured her, “Go save the world.” Angie embraced her and whispered, “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Peggy said softly. Once the coast was clear, Peggy dragged the gunman through a backdoor into an empty alleyway. She changed into her Eagle costume and flew the man to the police station. After depositing him on the front doorstep, Peggy flew over to Howard’s mansion.

Howard was smirking at her when she arrived, holding up the front page of the newspaper to her. “Nice picture,” Howard said, “I can get it framed for you.”

Peggy rolled her eyes as she pulled off the mask. “Shut up.” She sat on the armchair across from him.

“Thanks again for clearing my name,” Howard said.

“Anytime,” Peggy replied. “I’m glad that we were able to stop Leviathan.” Howard frowned and Peggy asked, “What’s wrong?”

Howard took a deep breath. “Dottie escaped their custody not long after you brought her to them.”

Peggy cursed and said, “Those idiots.” She stood up and put her mask on. Without another word, she flew out of the mansion and towards the Leviathan base that she had previously captured Dottie. It was still empty, and there was no sign that anyone had been there since she had stopped everyone inside.

The Eagle flew to the Griffith and put her clothes back on before pulling her mask off. After reapplying her lipstick and fixing her hair, Peggy walked into the hotel and up to Ms. Fry, who glared at her. “I was wondering if I could wait here for Angie,” Peggy said, glancing around the room for signs of Dottie.

“Ms. Martinelli is no longer welcome here,” Ms. Fry replied, “And neither are you if you were aware of her immoral nature.”

Peggy’s heart sank as she realized that she was reacting to the photo. “There’s nothing deviant about her,” Peggy snapped as she clenched her fists.

Ms. Fry glared back at her. “I expect the ladies of this hotel to maintain a code of morality, Ms. Carter. Ms. Martinelli broke the rules and therefore she is no longer welcome here.”

Peggy opened her mouth to argue, but she knew that Ms. Fry wouldn’t budge from her ridiculous, but unfortunately popular beliefs. “Very well,” Peggy said, struggling to maintain her composure. “I’ll tell Angie. Though for the record, you’re nothing but a fuddy-duddy fat-head.” Ms. Fry gasped by Peggy simply turned around and made her way out of the hotel.

Making her way over to the theater, Peggy asked to speak to Angie. She told her everything that happened and consoled Angie. “Don’t worry about it,” Peggy assured her. “You can stay with me.” Peggy realized what she had just said and quickly added, “You don’t have to if you’re not comfortable with it.” 

Angie’s eyes lit up as she wiped a few stray tears from her eyes. “I’d love to move in with you, English.” The director called out to Angie and Peggy promised to meet her after her rehearsal to help her move out of the hotel and into her apartment.

Peggy resumed her search for Dottie as she waited for Angie’s rehearsal to end. She patrolled the area outside of the hotel, standing on the roof in her costume. However, Dottie seemed to know better than to make an appearance in public now that she was a wanted woman.

The sun finally set, and Peggy flew back to the theater. Changing back into her street clothes, Peggy greeted Angie at the door. They walked in silence towards the hotel, both relieved that they didn’t have to fight their way through reporters like they had that morning. They packed up Angie’s things from her room, and Angie said goodbye to her friends. Peggy met Ms. Fry’s glare with one of her own before she and Angie brought the trunks back to Peggy’s apartment.

Peggy went to the Automat to get them dinner and brought it back as Angie unpacked her stuff. As they ate, Angie said, “Thank you. For everything.”

“It’s my pleasure, Angie,” Peggy said with a small smile. “What do you want to do tonight?”

Angie hesitated, before a grin lit up her face. “Since our secret’s out to the world, I’d like to go flying with you. I want to see the city from your perspective.”

Peggy contemplated the request. She still they should be cautious about everything, especially with Dottie on the loose, but the world already knew of their relationship and one flight around the city couldn’t hurt. “I’d love to,” Peggy replied.

They finished dinner and Peggy quickly cleaned up. She changed into her costume and took Angie out to the balcony. Angie wrapped her arms around Peggy as she slowly began her ascent into the air. Once they were up in the air, Peggy paused so that Angie could take in the view from above. “It’s gorgeous,” Angie said.

“It is,” Peggy agreed. They hovered over the city for a few moments before Peggy flew Angie around the city, taking in the landmarks from up above. Once they had made their way around the city, Peggy flew Angie back to what was now their apartment and landed on the balcony. 

Once they were back inside, Peggy pulled off her mask. “What did you think?”

Angie smiled and pulled her in for a kiss. “It was amazing. I see why you like it so much.” They went to the bedroom and laid down on the bed, wrapping their arms around each other. Peggy’s last thought was that she could definitely get used to this as they fell asleep in each other’s arms.


	8. Chapter 8

Peggy was alone when she woke up the next morning. She found no sign of Angie in the apartment and figured that she must have gone to the theater early. After a quick breakfast, Peggy suited up and continued her search for Dottie. Besides stopping a mugging and rescuing a little girl’s cat from a tree, her day had been relatively uneventful.

When the sun started to set, Peggy returned to the apartment and waited for Angie to come home. An hour later, Angie still hadn’t arrived, but Peggy assumed that she was running late with rehearsal.

An hour later and Peggy was starting to get worried. If Angie was running late, shouldn’t she have called by now? Especially given their situation and the fact that Angie knew that Peggy would be worried about her. Peggy paced around the apartment as her anxiety increased and she almost tripped over a package sitting in the front door. She bent down to look at the package, simple and had the words “Peggy Carter” scrawled on the back. Peggy didn’t remember seeing it when the rest of the mail came, and her heart rate increased as she guessed what could be inside.

Slowly, she opened the package and her fears were confirmed as a series of photos fell out. Angie. Angie tied up and gagged in a place that she didn’t recognize. Angie with a terrified expression on her face at the situation. Peggy tore open the envelope and found a small note inside in the same handwriting as on the envelope. “Stop looking for me, Eagle, or else. -Dottie.”

Peggy’s stomach twisted in revulsion as the reality of the situation hit her. Angie had been captured. Dottie had Angie. Dottie knew exactly who she was, and Angie had become collateral damage in their conflict.

Peggy quickly changed into her costume and flew off the balcony, not caring who saw her exit. She flew through the sky, her fear causing her to shake in the flight. This was all her fault. She had pursued her relationship with Angie against her better judgment, and now Angie was suffering the consequences. It was Colleen all over again, and she couldn’t forgive herself if Angie met the same fate.

She landed on Howard’s balcony and blurted out what happened either Howard or Jarvis could even speak. They looked at her with concern. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Carter,” Jarvis said.

“We’ll find her,” Howard assured her. “We won’t let Dottie get away with this.” Peggy wiped tears from her eyes as she nodded. There was no time for reflection or self-pity. The clock was ticking, and she had to find Angie before it was too late.

“Should we get the SSR involved?” Jarvis asked as they worked on compiling all locations with known Leviathan activity.

Peggy shook her head. “They let Dottie escape the first time. We have to do this ourselves.”

Once they got their list together, Peggy spent the night checking each location. She was starting to get tired, but she refused to let herself sleep. Peggy didn’t deserve to sleep, not when this whole situation was her fault to begin with.

Each location Peggy searched turned up empty, and she was growing more restless as her frustration increased. After the last place on her list turned up empty, Peggy flew up to the roof of the closest building. Pulling her mask off, she finally allowed herself to sob as she looked down at the empty streets below. She thought back to the horrifying pictures she had been sent, hoping that there was a clue she hadn’t figured out yet. The room Angie had been photographed in almost seemed like a living space.

Peggy sat up in realization. There was one place that Dottie frequented that Peggy hadn’t searched. It was too obvious, but Peggy had no other leads to go by. She flew over to the Griffith, stopping by the window in front of Dottie’s room. Peggy breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Angie sitting inside, still bound and gagged but otherwise unharmed.

Bursting through the window, Peggy landed in front of Angie and looked up at her. To her surprise, Angie looked fearful at the sight of her. “You’re safe now,” Peggy assured her as she worked to remove Angie’s bindings. 

Once the gag was removed, Peggy leaned into kiss her. Angie tried to pull away, but Peggy’s lips still reached hers. As Peggy pulled away, she felt herself getting dizzy. It was then that she realized that Angie’s rescue had been far too easy. She remembered Angie uncharacteristically trying to pull away from her and the revelation hit her as whatever chemical Dottie had put on Angie’s lips spread through her body. This was a trap and Peggy had fallen right into it. Angie’s whisper of, “I’m sorry, English,” was the last thing she heard as everything around her went dark.

Once she regained consciousness, Peggy sat up and realized that she and Angie were tied up together in a dark nondescript warehouse. “I’m so sorry,” Angie said, upon seeing that Peggy was awake. “She forced me to.”

“I don’t blame you,” Peggy assured her. “I blame myself.”

“I should have known,” Dottie said with a smirk as she stepped out of the shadows to face them. Peggy struggled with the restraints, but they were too tight to budge. Dottie laughed. “When you spent all of your time with Angie at the Griffith, I just assumed you were very affectionate friends. I should have realized the connection much sooner. I must say, you two make a lovely couple.”

Peggy rolled her eyes at the start of Dottie’s monologue. It wasn’t the first she had heard since she became the Eagle, and it definitely wouldn’t be her last. Her hands reached out and was able to touch Angie’s. To her surprise, Angie slipped a sharp hairpin into her hand. Peggy smiled and moved the hairpin to behind her back and worked on cutting the ropes. “What do you want with us?” Peggy asked, trying to keep Dottie talking as she worked on freeing herself.

“I think that would be obvious,” Dottie replied. “I can’t have you thwarting our plans again.”

Peggy continued sawing the rope with the hairpin. “Fair enough. Why are you doing this then?”

“Revenge,” Dottie replied. “Your beloved Howard Stark is responsible for countless deaths. It’s only fitting that his weapons take him down once and for all.” Peggy didn’t argue as she focused on her movements behind her back. “Of course, you and your girlfriend managed to clear Howard’s name.” 

Dottie looked at them in disgust before her expression turned into a chilling smirk. “Now you’re both going to watch as I destroy New York.” Peggy and Angie glanced at each other as Dottie came over leaning down so she was face to face with Peggy. “Don’t worry, neither of you will be alive after it’s all done.”

Peggy headbutted Dottie as she was finally able to break free of her restraints. She picked up Dottie and flew her to the other side of the room away from Angie. Dottie got to her feet and the two matched each other blow for blow. Peggy pushed their fight towards the nearby window of the warehouse. She dodged Dottie’s attempt to leap at her and steadied Dottie as she fell down. Peggy shoved Dottie out the window and she plummeted a couple of stories, immobilized as she hit the ground with a thud.

Peggy ran back to Angie and easily pulled off her restraints. “Are you hurt?”

Angie shook her head. “I’m much better now that it’s over.” Peggy grabbed her mask off of a nearby table and put it on. Holding on to Angie, she flew her to Howard’s and dropped her off before returning to retrieve Dottie. 

Dropping her off at the SSR, she warned the agents not to let her escape again. They promised they wouldn’t, and Peggy returned to Howard’s mansion. Angie was sitting on the couch wrapped in blankets, and sipping tea. She smiled when she saw Peggy, and Peggy was relieved she was okay. However, her guilt was eating at her and she knew that she couldn’t bear to see Angie in danger like that ever again. Angie pulled her into a hug, and Peggy let herself enjoy the moment. She would do what she needed to do tomorrow, as much as it pained her to think about.


	9. Chapter 9

Peggy woke up early the next morning, fresh from her nightmare. She replayed the events of the previous evening in her head and a fresh wave of guilt overcame her at the fact that Angie had been in that situation because of her. Turning over, she smiled over at Angie’s sleeping form next to her, glad that she had been able to save her. As she stared at the ceiling of Howard’s spare bedroom, her smile quickly dissipated as she remembered what she had to do. As much as she dreaded the conversation, she knew that it had to occur. Rolling out of bed, she quickly got dressed and went down to make two cups of tea in the kitchen.

She heard Angie’s footsteps behind her moments later. “How are you feeling?” Peggy asked as she turned around to face Angie.

“Better,” Angie replied. She leaned up to kiss Peggy’s lips, but Peggy reluctantly pulled away from her. Angie looked at her with concern. “It’s okay,” Angie assured her. “Howard said that the poison is gone.”

Peggy looked at Angie’s bright eyes. Resisting the temptation to kiss her, Peggy said, “Angie, we need to talk.”

Angie nodded solemnly, as though she sensed what Peggy wanted to talk to her about. They sat across from each other at the table. Peggy took a deep breath and said, “We can’t do this anymore.” 

Her heart broke at the sorrowful look on Angie’s face, but she knew she was making the right decision. “I couldn’t live with myself if I lost you because another one of the Eagle’s enemies used you against me.”

“English,” Angie pleaded. “I know you’re scared, I certainly was yesterday, but you can’t give up on this.” Angie’s eyes began to tear up and Peggy looked away as she felt herself begin to cry. “I love you, and you love me. We can make this work.”

Peggy stiffened her resolve. “It’s because I love you that I have to do this.” Her tears started flowing down her cheeks and she looked away from Angie’s equally tear-stained face. “I’ve never felt happier than I have in the past few weeks, but I got careless and I put you in harm’s way.” She couldn’t bear to look at Angie as she said, “This was a mistake.”

Angie sobbed at the words and Peggy hated seeing her so distraught. She wished that she could wipe Angie’s tears away, kiss her, and assure things would be alright, but she knew that it would make all of this even more painful.

“You’re wrong,” Angie declared, trying to calm herself down. “This was not a mistake, and I know you know that.” Peggy tried her best to hold her resolve. “What we have is special, and you shouldn’t throw it away just because you’re scared. We’ll be more careful next time, I promise.”

Peggy shook her head. “There won’t be a next time Angie.” She took a deep breath and assured her, “I’ll have Howard help you find an apartment.”

Angie glared at her. “I don’t need your help, English. I’m perfectly capable of finding one on my own.” She stood up from the table and stormed out the kitchen. Turning around at the doorway she said, “When you decide to be reasonable, you’ll know where to find me.”

Peggy was frozen as she watched Angie walk away. She heard the front door to the mansion slam behind her. The tea kettle on the stove started whistling and Peggy wiped away yet more tears as she poured herself a cup.

Jarvis entered the kitchen and poured a cup of tea for himself as he joined Peggy at the table. “Good morning, Ms. Carter. Where did Ms. Martinelli go?”

“I let her go,” Peggy admitted, the heartbroken glare Angie gave her before she left still seared into her memory. “I had to.”

He gave her a questioning look, and she could tell that he didn’t agree with her. She returned his gaze, daring him to argue with her. What did he know about having a secret identity? About how anyone she cared about always got hurt? She should never have let Jarvis and Howard convince her to pursue Angie when her gut had told her it was a bad idea. 

“I’m sorry, Ms. Carter,” Jarvis finally said. “I know how much you cared for her.”

Peggy nodded, sipping her tea as she replayed her last conversation with Angie in her head. “I still do,” she declared. She had truly loved Angie, and her heart was breaking at the idea of not having her in her life.

Still, she imagined Angie on the opening night of her play, being showered in applause by the audience as she excelled in her natural element. She imagined her leaving through the back door of the stage, greeting her adoring fans and not worrying about being hurt or worse. Angie would get everything she ever wanted, and Peggy knew that that was all that mattered.

She abruptly stood up. “I need to go for a flight.” Jarvis didn’t say anything as she left the kitchen. After changing her suit, she put her mask on and flew into the air. Not even the thrill of being up in the air could soothe her broke heart. She made her way over the city, her tears staining her mask as she looked at the world below. All the people below her went about their day without a care in the world, able to be with the people they loved without worry.

For the second time since she had taken on the identity of the Eagle, Peggy wished that she could live a normal life. As she watched the people below, she found that she envied them. She imagined herself working a typical job and coming home every night to Angie. No criminals, no danger, no fear.

The sound of screams down below pulled her out of her daydreaming. She saw a bank robbery in progress, and she forced herself to snap out of her current state. She had chosen this life for herself, as she had wanted to help people. It had been her decision to volunteer for the program, nobody else. Though it was a lonely life, the thrill and satisfaction of helping innocent people is what kept her going.

The Eagle flew into action, and easily dispatched the would-be robbers as they held the bank’s customers hostage. She threw herself into battle, putting her emotions into punching the daylights out of the criminals. Once they had all been knocked out, Peggy let the hostages go and stood watch over robbers until the police arrived to arrest them.

Once the situation had been taken care of, Peggy stepped out of the bank and locked eyes with Angie from across the street. They both stood frozen, staring at each other with matching heartbroken expressions. Peggy finally waved over at Angie before ascending back into the sky and flying back to the mansion.

Howard was waiting for her when she returned. “I’m so sorry, Peg. Jarvis told me what happened.”

“It’s for the best,” Peggy repeated, wondering how many times she would have to repeat those words until thinking about the whole situation stopped eating her up inside.

He frowned at her. “You don’t really believe that, do you?”

Peggy tensed, but held firm. “I do.” Howard was still giving her a pitying expression and she was tempted to slap him. “Any word on whether the SSR actually did their job this time?”

Howard smiled. “It seems like they have Dottie in a maximum-security facility. She’s not getting out anytime soon.”

She smiled for what seemed like the first time that day. “That’s great news.” Peggy took off before Howard could try to talk to her about Angie again. Flying back to her apartment, she settled onto her couch.

Though she tried to relax, she found that she was unable to. Everything in the apartment reminded her of Angie. The couch where they cuddled, the table where they ate together, the bed where they had spent many evenings together. The worst memory was of seeing the package by the front door where Dottie had sent those disturbing pictures of Angie, taunting her. She tensed as she relived that awful memory. Once she steadied her breathing, Peggy concluded that she needed to find a new place and she needed to find a new place fast. Only then would she be able to move on from Angie and her heartbreak at having to let her go.


	10. Chapter 10

Upon hearing that Peggy wanted to move out of her apartment, Howard had immediately gifted her one of his spare houses. She had tried to argue with him, but he shut down her protests. “I owe you for all you’ve done for me.”

Unable to dissuade Howard, Peggy found herself moving into the new house. It was much larger than her apartment, almost unsettling given that she was living alone again. Her first thought once she saw it was about how much Angie would like it. She tried to push her sorrow out of her mind as she started the move-in process. 

The next weeks were agonizing as Peggy attempted to throw herself into Eagle business to avoid thinking about Angie. Punching criminals was somewhat cathartic, but her broken heart stayed with her everywhere she went.

Sometimes, she was unable to fight the temptation and flew over the theater where Angie was rehearsing. She watched as Angie entered or exited the theater, glad to see that she was safe though she couldn’t deny that she also looked as sad as she was about their break-up.

When Angie looked up at the sky, Peggy flew away before she could see her. Returning home, she opened the paper and flipped to the entertainment section. Angie had become somewhat of a celebrity in her own right due to her dalliance with the Eagle, and the papers sometimes featured brief interviews with her.

Peggy knew that she should be avoiding all of this, but she found that she couldn’t. Despite everything, she couldn’t deny that she was still in love with Angie and it made all of this even more difficult.

The worst day is when she had flown to Howard’s for lunch and found Angie sitting in the kitchen talking to Jarvis. They turned around upon hearing her enter and she and Angie stared at each other for a couple of moments. “Hello, Peggy.” Angie finally broke the silence.

“How are you?” Peggy asked, trying to not give away how much she missed her.

Angie paused for a moment and said in a strained voice, “Opening night is coming up.”

Peggy nodded. “I know, I saw.” Angie didn’t say anything, and Peggy added, “Break a leg.”

A small smile formed on Angie’s lips, but she quickly suppressed it. “Thanks.” She turned to Jarvis and asked, “Same time next week?” He nodded and Angie said goodbye to Peggy before leaving the mansion.

“How often do you guys meet?” Peggy blurted out as soon as Angie was gone.

Jarvis replied, “Once a week. She asked me for help in learning how to fight.” Peggy’s eyes widened in surprise. Jarvis added, “She’s actually gotten pretty good.”

Peggy didn’t know how to process the news as she sat down across from Jarvis. Howard came into the kitchen and his eyes lit up upon seeing Peggy. “Good to see you!” He gestured to the table. “Sit down. I want to talk to you about something.” Peggy followed his instruction, wondering what he wanted to talk to her about.

“How do you like the house?” Howard asked.

She shrugged. “It’s lovely.” She didn’t mention how lonely she felt inside with all the space. “Thank you.”

Howard grinned. “Glad to hear it. I have another surprise for you.” He handed her an envelope and Peggy took it, curious as to what was inside. Opening the envelope, she gasped as she saw a box seat ticket to opening night of Angie’s show.

“You shouldn’t have,” Peggy spluttered as she dropped the envelope. “You really shouldn’t have.” She saw Howard and Jarvis glance at each other. “What?”

“Peggy,” Howard began. “How long are you going to force yourself to be lonely because you’re scared?”

She looked between them, realizing that this was an intervention of some sort. “It’s for the best,” she replied defensively.

Jarvis cleared his throat and said, “I know you don’t believe that, Ms. Carter. In fact, Ms. Martinelli has told me you visit the theater sometimes.” Peggy’s mouth dropped in shock. She thought she had been discreet, but she had thought wrong.

Howard said, “I know you still love her, Peggy. And I know she still loves you.” Peggy opened her mouth to protest, but Howard continued, “Just go to the show. If you still feel that keeping your distance is best for both of you afterwards, then we’ll drop the subject.” Peggy didn’t reply. “You’re the closest thing I have to a best friend, and it hurts to see you so unhappy.”

Peggy sat in silence, processing everything as she stared down at the ticket. She couldn’t deny that she wanted to see the show, as she knew how hard Angie had been working on it. “Fine,” Peggy said. “I’ll go.”

“Great to hear it.” Howard grinned. Peggy nodded, but still felt uneasy about the whole thing.

Soon enough opening night came, and Peggy dressed in her finest as she made her way to the theater. After checking her appearance in the mirror, she grabbed a small bouquet of flowers she had bought for the occasion and made her way out the door.

After arriving at the theater, she presented her ticket to the usher who led her to Howard’s box. Peggy took in the view as she calmed her nerves. When the show finally started, Peggy gasped upon seeing Angie’s entrance onto the stage. Angie looked like a natural up on the stage as she gave a great performance. Peggy had trouble following the plot, as her focus remained solely on Angie and her performance.

At the end of the show, Peggy joined the theater in a standing ovation as the cast took their bows. As the other theatregoers exited the room, Peggy made her way backstage. The security guard stopped her, and Peggy explained, “I’m here to see Angie Martinelli.”

Thankfully, the show’s director walked by at that moment. His eyes lit up in recognition and said, “Let her through.”

Peggy thanked him and made her way to the dressing room marked with “A. Martinelli.” Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door. Angie opened the door and gasped upon seeing her. “What are you doing here?”

“Howard gave me his box,” Peggy explained. Remembering she was holding a bouquet of flowers she handed them over and said, “These are for you…. You were amazing up there, Angie.”

Angie hesitated, but took the flowers. “Thanks. And thanks for coming. It’s good to see you again.”

Peggy nodded as her heart pounded in her chest. She knew she should leave now, but she found that she couldn’t move. “Is there something else?” Angie asked, staring curiously at her.

She found that she didn’t want to leave. “These past few weeks have been unbearable without you,” she admitted. 

Angie smiled briefly but suppressed it into a frown. “You’re the one who sent me away, remember?”

“I know.” She looked at Angie, desperately wanting to hold her again. Maybe Howard and Jarvis were right and that she shouldn’t be so scared of the possibility of danger. “I suppose things could work if we’re more careful about it.”

Angie’s eyes lit up. “What are you saying?”

Peggy confessed, “I love you and I want to be with you.” Before Peggy could say another word, Angie kissed her. Peggy relaxed as she kissed her back, threading her fingers behind Angie’s back as she leaned in, committing to their kiss and whatever came next. For the first time in the past few weeks, she felt like she was home again.

Angie pulled away, and Peggy groaned. “Let me finish getting dressed,” she explained. “Then you can take me home…I want to see your new place.”

“Our new place,” Peggy corrected, sitting on the small couch inside the dressing room as Angie changed back into her street clothes. They walked back to the house and Peggy quickly locked the door behind them. Angie pinned her to the door with a kiss. “Don’t you want a tour?” Peggy asked, despite not wanted to lose the feeling of Angie’s lips on hers.

“There’s plenty of time for that,” Angie replied. “Right now, I need you, English.” Peggy felt the request all over her body as she picked Angie up. Angie eagerly wrapped her legs around her and they barely made it to the couch before they collapsed on it together. 

Not wanting to wait any longer, Peggy slipped Angie’s panties off and moved down the couch. She eagerly dove in to Angie’s wetness and Angie gripped her head tightly as Peggy made her scream with her tongue. Peggy moaned at the taste that she had craved over the past few weeks filling her tongue. She continued to lap up everything as Angie came with a scream of her name.

Angie panted above her, and Peggy climbed back up to reunite their lips. Without warning, Angie flipped Peggy over and slipped three fingers inside of her. Peggy moaned as Angie began moving in and out of her, grabbing onto the edge of the couch for support. With a couple of thrusts, Peggy moaned Angie’s name as she came underneath her.

They panted as they lay in each other’s arms on the couch. “I missed you,” Peggy admitted as she stroked Angie’s hair.

“Me too,” Angie agreed. Peggy couldn’t deny how happy she was to have Angie back in her life, and she decided there was no way she would ever let go of her again. She groaned as Angie climbed off her and stood up. “How about that tour?”


	11. Epilogue

One Year Later:

Peggy shielded her eyes from the sunlight peeking through the curtains as she snuggled in closer to Angie. She had never been happier than she had been over the past couple of months and that was all because of the woman still sleeping next to her. Reluctantly, she forced herself out of the warm, inviting embrace and got dressed before making her way downstairs.

As she walked towards the kitchen, Peggy paused at the study down the hall. In it contained a medal the Eagle had received for her efforts in saving the city from a bomb scare a couple of months ago. She fondly remembered the ceremony the mayor had put on for her but enjoyed seeing Angie beam at her from the front row more.

Beside the medal was an entire shelf of awards Angie had won for her performance. She had become the most sought-after Broadway actress and Peggy knew they would have to make more shelf space for all of her future awards. Peggy had been to every performance she could, always sharing a glance at Angie from the front row during each performance.

Peggy tore herself from the doorway and made her way out of the house. Putting her mask on she flew out of the gated yard and down to the nearby brunch place that she and Angie had grown to love. Pulling off her mask in the nearby alleyway, she walked inside and picked out Angie’s favorites. She flew back to find Angie sitting at the kitchen table and a pot of tea on the stove.

“Good morning,” Peggy greeted her, handing her the bag. Angie’s eyes lit up upon seeing the contents and Peggy poured them both tea before joining her at the table.

For the first time that morning, Peggy felt her nerves creep up on her. Her mind absentmindedly played with the contents of her pocket and she tried to calm herself down. Angie seemed to notice and asked, “What’s wrong, English?”

Peggy quickly assured her. “Nothing.” Deciding that there wouldn’t be a better time than right now, she said, “I wanted to give you something.” Angie looked questioningly at her and Peggy slipped her hand into her pocket as she stood up. 

“Angie, from the moment I met you, I knew that you would be special to me.” Angie smiled up at her and Peggy continued her speech. “As much as I tried to fight it, I fell more in love with you each day.” Angie gasped as Peggy got down on one knee. “You’ve been through so much with me and I know it wouldn’t be recognized legally, but I want to make my commitment to you official.” 

She pulled out the ring in her pocket and held it up to Angie. She finished her speech by asking, “Angela Martinelli, will you marry me?”

Angie grinned as she took the ring. “Of course, I’ll marry you!” Slipping the ring onto her finger, she admired the diamond shining on the band. Peggy stood up and kissed Angie, relieved that the proposal had gone well.

Peggy was surprised as Angie abruptly walked out of the room. “I have to call my mother,” Angie explained. Peggy nodded in understanding and waited for Angie to return.

Angie returned moments later. Her bright grin unchanged. “She’s so excited, and she sends her love.” Peggy nodded and kissed Angie again. Angie deepened the kiss and wrapped her arms around her. 

Peggy pinned her to the table, their breakfast and tea forgotten as she opened up Angie’s bathrobe smiling at the exposed skin underneath. “I love you,” Peggy assured her as she moved her lips to Angie’s neck, causing her to moan as she sucked her pulse point.

“I love you too, English,” Angie moaned as she worked on unbuttoning Peggy’s blouse. 

Before they could go any further, they both jumped at the sounds of gunshots outside. Peggy looked between the window and Angie writhing underneath her. “Go,” Angie said, plastering a smile despite her obvious disappointment. “I’ll be here when you get back, and we’ll definitely finish this.”

Peggy pressed a quick kiss to her lips and said, “I’ll hold you to that.” She changed into her costume and pulled the mask over her face. Stepping outside, she flew towards the sound of the disturbance. She dispatched the gunman quickly and flew his victims to the hospital before flying back home.

After making her way through the house, she found Angie waiting for her in their bed. Peggy grinned as she pulled her costume off and climbed into bed. Angie straddled her and Peggy eagerly sat up to kiss her. “Everything alright out there, English?” Angie asked. 

“It is now,” Peggy replied smiling at seeing the ring resting on Angie’s finger. She couldn’t stop smiling at how her life had turned out and how she couldn’t wait for her and Angie’s future together.


End file.
